Postdoctoral Research Associate

Location: 42-43 Park End Street, Oxford, OX1 1JD

Contract Type: Fixed term for 3 years  

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The Department of Sociology is seeking to appoint a Postdoctoral Research Associate to support a project called “Falling into Cybercrime: The Socio-Economic Factors of Youth Hacking and Cybercrime”. The project is led by Associate Professor Jonathan Lusthaus, and also includes Dr Lindsay Richards. This 3-year project is focussed on understanding the drivers of youth hacking and the risk factors associated with hacking populations falling into cybercrime. It takes both a global and local approach. At the global level, it seeks to explain why some countries are more likely to produce significant numbers of hackers and what risk factors make these populations more likely to fall into cybercrime. At the local level it takes the UK as a case study, to understand the same question in a more granular way: what drivers explain why British youths become hackers and why do a proportion of this group become involved in criminal hacking. The project is based in the Department of Sociology and is supported by The Hacking Games. 

Working with the PI and CI, and alongside a doctoral researcher, the postholder will take a key role in carrying out this research, and helping to coordinate it. The post is intended for a strong mixed methods researcher, with a research background in cybercrime, criminology, sociology, education or related fields. Those with past research experience in life course criminology are particularly encouraged to apply. Applicants should be comfortable with carrying out data collection. This includes, for example, involvement in survey design and deployment, as well as accessing secondary datasets and creating/curating new datasets based on public and other sources. There may be some engagement with youths and members of the hacking community. While some qualitative skills are an asset, the emphasis of the post is on quantitative elements. The postholder should begin the post with at least intermediate statistical skills (e.g. conducting well thought out regressions). The postholder should also be comfortable dealing with a range of stakeholders from industry and government. 

The post is to start as soon as possible, preferably by October 2026, but with some flexibility for a later start date if required. We are seeking a full-time postholder but are open to applicants seeking part-time arrangements. For informal inquiries about the post, please contact jonathan.lusthaus@sociology.ox.ac.uk or lindsay.richards@sociology.ox.ac.uk. Given the challenges of communication over the summer period, any inquiries are best made during July.

You will be required to upload a CV, supporting statement and details of two referees as part of your online application. Your supporting statement should clearly set out the extent to which you meet each of the selection criteria of the post. Further details for this position, including information on how to apply, are outlined in the job description.

Interviews are expected to take place in the week commencing 21st September 2026.

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